Light fixture hinge construction



May 31, 1966 B. MOORE LIGHT FIXTURE HINGE CONSTRUCTION Uriginal Fi led Jan. 8, 1963 INVENTOR.

A 7' 7' ORA/1E Y6 United States Patent 3 254,208 LIGHT. FIXTURE IIINGE CONSTRUCTION Buell Moore,'Houston, Tex., assignor to Esquire, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application Jan. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 250,073, now

Patent No. 3,202,815, dated Aug. 24, 1965. Divided and this application Feb. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 435,158

1 Claim. (Cl. 240-147) This invention relates to an improved hinge construction for connecting a lens to a light fixture case so as to permit it to be swung between positions opening and closing an open end of such case. This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 250,073, filed January 8, 1963, now Patent No. 3,202,815, and entitled Lighting Equipment.

An object of this invention is to provide a light fixture having such a hinge construction which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which facilitates the quick removal and replacement of the lens with respect to the case.

This and other objects are accomplished, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, by a light fixture having a case with an open end and a lens connected to the case by means of a hinge made up of an arcuate groove extending longitudinally of one side of the case adjacent an edge of its open end and means along the side edge of the lens including an arcuate rod pivotally mounted within the groove. More particularly, one end of the groove is open so that the rod may slide longitudinally into and out of the groove, and the lens is secured to the case in its closed position by any suitable means, Which preferably comprises a single screw. The rod is formed on a strip which is welded or otherwise secured to the side edge of the lens, and both the strip and the means in which the groove is formed, which comprise the only parts necessary for the hinge, may be formed from extrusions so as to further simplify fabrication of the hinge.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a light fixture having a case with a lens connected to the open lower end thereof by means of a hinge constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is 'a perspective view of the fixture shown in FIG. 1, as seen from one corner and the lower end thereof, and with the lens swung on the hinge into open position and moved laterally toward removal from the case; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the hinge.

With reference now to a detailed description of these figures, the light fixture shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a transformer suspended from a pipe 11 at its upper end and a light fixture 12 having its upper end suspended beneath and closely adjacent the lower end of the transformer. The pipe 11, which is threaded or provided with other means at its lower end for connection with the upper end of the transformer, not only suspends the transformer, but also provides a conduit for the electrical wiring leading tothe transformer from a suitable power source. Thus, the electrical wiring enters the upper end of the transformer so that electricity is fed therethrough into its lower end for connection with a socket (not shown) within the light fixture 12. The light fixture 12 comprises a case 13 which has flat sides which extend downwardly and outwardly from a cover 14 at the upper end of the case. A reflector 23 is disposed within the case 13 in spaced relation thereto to provide an air space 24 surrounding the reflector intermediate its upper and lower ends.

3,254,208 Patented May 31, 1966 Thus, the reflector has flat sides arranged symmetrically of the sides of the case and also tapering downwardly and outwardly to an open lower end. The lower ends of the case and reflector are joined to close the lower end of space 24 by'means of strips 25 along each side. As best shown in FIG. 3, each such strip 25 may comprise an extrusion having grooves 26 and 27 therein for receiving lower side edges of the case and reflector, respectively. Hot air circulates upwardly through the air space 24 in the manner described in my co-pending application.

'The adjacent side edges of each of the case and reflector of the light fixture are connected together by extruded strips 39 and 40, respectively. These extrusions have grooves to receive the edges of the sides of the case and reflector, similarly to the manner in which the grooves in the lower strips 25 receive the lower end edges of the same parts. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side strips 39 and 40 extend substantially vertically between the cover 14 and the lower strips 25.

The lens 35 includes a pane 45 of glass or other transparent material received within a frame 46 disposable, in the closed position of the lens, against the gasket 36. In a manner to be described below, however, the lens is swingable between the closed position and an open position, as shown in FIG. 2, so as to permit access to a lamp (not shown) mounted within the socket in the case. More particularly, and as also illustrated in FIG. 2, the lens is hinged to the case in such a manner that it may be removed therefrom by a laterally sliding motion.

As shown in FIG. 3, this hinge comprises an enlarged portion 47 on the outer side of one strip 25 having a groove 48 extending longitudinally thereof and a strip 49 secured to the outer edge of a corresponding side of the frame 46 of the lens and having an arcuate rod 50 slidably retained within the groove. An intermediate portion 51 of the strip is bent outwardly from the rod 50 and then inwardly for securement as by welding to the frame of the lens so that, as will be obvious from FIG. 3, the lens may swing downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 2. The groove 48 within enlarged portion 47 of the strip 25 extends from one end to the other thereof so that the rod 50 is free to slide laterally into andout of the groove when it is desired to repair or replace the lens. As previously mentioned, the strip 49 as well as the strip 25 may be extruded to further simplify fabrication of the hinge.

There is a threaded opening 52 in the strip 25 opposite the strip having groove 48 so as to receive a screw 53 carried on the corresponding side edge of frame 46 of the lensf Thus, the lens may be secured in or released from closed position by the simple manipulation of this single screw.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all-of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is Within the scope of the claim.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed In a light fixture, a case having an open end, a lens intermediate its securement to the lens frame and the rod 4 being bent outwardly so that, upon pivoting of the rod within the groove, the lens is swingable between said closed position and another position in which it is removed from the open end of the case to permit access to the interior of the case, and means on another side edge of the lens frame automatically alignable with means on the corresponding side edge of the case, upon swinging of said lens to closed position, for holding the lens in said closed position, said groove being open at 4 one end to permit the rod to be moved longitudinally into and out of the groove.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,227,655 1/1941 Levy 240-78 2,546,590 3/1951 Ferrel 16171 2,691,187 10/1954 Lorenz 16----149 2,753,051 7/ 1956 Tupper 220-305 3,167,258 1/1965 Wilde 240-413 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

C. C. LOGAN, Assistant Examiner. 

